UA Little Rock Student Gains International Experience as Web Development Intern in Australia

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock student spent his summer honing his web development skills with a unique opportunity abroad, interning at Milk Chocolate Properties in Australia.

Ramsey Alhajjaj, a senior web design and development major from Benton, Arkansas, spent the summer gaining hands-on experience in a dynamic, global setting that provided valuable insights into both web design and the international real estate market.

"Studying abroad gave me practical work experience as well as set the foundations by giving me connections in the industry," Alhajjaj said. "During my study abroad, I repaired the functionality of over 1,000 design files and created multiple user interface design files to improve the site's overall workflow. I also created multiple prototypes to demonstrate the improved workflow."

During the summer, Alhajjaj traveled extensively across two Australian states, Queensland and New South Wales. He greatly enjoyed visiting the cities of Sydney, Brisbane, and Surfers Paradise, as well as trips to the Great Barrier Reef and historic Bondi Beach.

"I really enjoyed all the time spent meeting new people and experiencing Australian culture," Ramsey said. "I attended talks by Aboriginal elders, a professional rugby game, and sunrise skydiving over the world's oldest rainforest in Cairns. I also got to visit an animal park where I got to pet kangaroos."

After Alhajjaj, a member of the Donaghey Scholars Honors Program, graduates in May, he plans to work as a web developer and user interface designer. He is forever grateful to the Donaghey Scholars for giving him the experience of a lifetime during his summer in Australia.

"I loved my time abroad," he said. "It was a really cool experience, and I encourage anyone thinking about it to go ahead and take the plunge and do it.